The Joy of Gospel Partnership in Germany
An update from Jared Mellinger, SGC Director of Publishing and Senior Pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania…
On October 2–5, 2025, Arche Church in Hamburg, Germany hosted their annual Eckstein (Cornerstone) Conference. I travelled with my wife, Meghan, to spend time with the pastors and wives at Arche Church, to speak at the conference, and to learn what the Lord is doing in Germany and beyond.
The trip was a great encouragement to us. Christ is building his church in Germany, and I was on the receiving end of many expressions of gratefulness for the difference Sovereign Grace Churches has made there.
Some of those in attendance were graduates from the Pastors College in Germany, or are currently in their Pastors College. Pastor Markus Kniesel is Dean of the Arche Pastors College, who shared through tears of gratitude the impact Sovereign Grace has had in their mission.
Pastor Frank Huck and his team have translated many Sovereign Grace songs into German, so that the work of Sovereign Grace Music is serving churches in Germany and beyond. It was a joy to hear familiar songs sung in a different language. I did my best throughout the conference to sing in German, but it wasn’t always pretty.
Messages of Peace
The theme of the conference was “Peace: Not as the World Gives,” from John 14:27. I preached a number of times, and Meghan taught a session for the women on “Peace in Times of Trouble: Lessons Learned from my Daughter’s Battle with Cancer.” As Meghan told her story and shared how God sustained her, many were encouraged in the midst of their present trials.
Other sessions brought God’s word to bear on a number of topics, addressing peace in our relationships, peace as a fruit of the Spirit, peace despite crisis and wars, peace when we disagree theologically, peaceful speech, and the hope of heaven as a world of peace.
The Gospel in Ukraine
The theme was timely in part because many brothers and sisters from Ukraine were there. Some of them are from eastern Ukraine, only 10 miles from the frontlines of war. Missiles attack every day—a live map was projected at one point, showing where missiles struck while we were sleeping the night before. They said that every Ukrainian family has sustained the loss of family and friends in the war. One brother who prayed at the conference lost three of his sons. When the sirens start wailing, all the people and children must hide.
Meeting these courageous saints, hearing updates from them and enjoying meals with them, has left a deep and lasting impression on us. They are a remarkable example of steadfastness in suffering, and we have much to learn from their example.
I had the privilege of finally meeting Michael Ostanin, pastor of ARK Church in Dnipro, Ukraine. Over the past 3 and a half years, Michael and his church have distributed over 400 food packages each week. They are caring for many widows, children, and refugees due to the war, including many children refugees of fallen soldiers.
During an afternoon session of mission updates from church planters and international partners, Michael and his wife shared. He expressed his gratitude for the support and giving that has come from Arche Church and from Sovereign Grace Churches, so that they can continue to care for hundreds of people suffering from the war and preach the gospel to them.
As they share the gospel with refugees, many are coming to a saving knowledge of Christ. Every other month, the church in Dnipro, Ukraine is having a baptism service. There were 12 people being baptized in the upcoming service. Even as suffering rises, the gospel continues its onward advance.
Thank God for Arche Church
By the grace of God, and through the faithful leadership of Christian Wegert and his fellow pastors, Arche Church continues to be a powerful gospel presence in Germany. Pastors are being trained at their Pastors College and Reformed churches are being planted and built in Germany and beyond.
We thank God for Arche Church, and for all the pastors and churches associated with them. This is a relationship that continues to bear much fruit and mutual blessing. It is a privilege for Sovereign Grace to be a part of what God is doing in equipping pastors and strengthening the saints in Germany. The fruit of our global fellowship has filled our hearts with joy, and with excitement for the ongoing advance of the gospel in Germany.
